


The Dad Who Lived

by AmeliaPonders



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: F/M, Father-Daughter Relationship, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Kidfic, Post Regeneration, Regeneration
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-18
Updated: 2016-07-18
Packaged: 2018-07-24 20:02:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,788
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7521184
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AmeliaPonders/pseuds/AmeliaPonders
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Doctor and Rose's daughter must come to terms with her dad's regeneration.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Dad Who Lived

**Author's Note:**

> For timepetals prompt "That's not...that's not how that works." I took a kind of different spin on it. 
> 
> Shout out and thanks go to the awesome Caedmon because even though she doesn't know it, her Precious Girl series inspired this in a roundabout way in my wacky mind.
> 
> Also, you'll find a bit of recognizable dialogue in here from the 2005 Children in Need special and the Christmas Invasion, which obviously isn't mine! Also Harry Potter references, as the title suggests :-)
> 
> Unbeta'd.

She was eight when it happened.

Though she was far more intelligent than any fully human child her age, Penny Tyler was still just a little girl, with lots of little girl hopes and dreams, and a few little girl fears, too. And even though she knew it could happen, Penny's daddy had changed his face, and it was so scary.

“Can you change back?” She asked him, though she knew the answer.

“Do you want me to?” The man asked back in a quiet voice that was so different from her strong daddy’s normal one. The one that Mummy always said sounded like he was from the North.

“Can you?”

“No.” He looked down at the floor, sounding disappointed. She knew her questions and the bite in her tone hurt him, but she didn’t care right now.

“That’s not…” Her mum swallowed, trying to clear away the sadness that was in her voice, too. “That’s not how that works, sweetheart. Remember?”

Yes, she did. From the age of nine months, when she had started conversing regularly with her parents, Penny had learned about her Gallifreyan ancestry and all that came with it, including regeneration. Her mum had even drawn and written a picture book for her explaining the concept. It showed Penny all the faces (and silly outfits) her dad used to wear, and he had laughed right along with her and Mummy at them. It was Penny’s favorite book until she began reading novels two years later. Still, despite her familiarity and comfort with the topic on a theoretical level, watching her father regenerate had been a deeply upsetting experience. Ignoring both her mother and the TARDIS’ telepathic attempts at comforting her after Daddy-with-a different-face said he couldn’t change back, Penny sprinted out of the console room and tried her very best to get lost somewhere in the infinite ship where no one could ever find her.

Unfortunately, it only took Mummy twenty-one minutes, eighteen seconds, and four nanoseconds to find Penny in the previously undiscovered pillow fort room. _Traitor_ , Penny thought to the TARDIS. The time ship responded with a conciliatory, gentle hum in her mind. It felt good, soothing even, but Penny didn’t want it to. She wanted to stay angry because she wanted the old Daddy back and she knew that was impossible. She’d spent the last seventeen minutes, three seconds, and nine nanoseconds trying to think of temporal anomalies or disruptions in quantum foam that she might somehow use to get her wish. It had only confirmed that she never could.

Mummy didn’t say anything, just sat down next to Penny on the cushy floor and held her. Penny resisted at first, pulling out of her mother’s arms and turning her back. Mummy just switched to rubbing it instead, something Penny had always loved. In spite of herself, she leaned back into the touch.

No one said anything for what felt like hours, but what Penny knew was only fourteen minutes, fifty-nine seconds, and thirteen nanoseconds. She wanted to keep up her stoic silent treatment, but she had to ask the question. She had to know. “How did it happen, Mum?”

Mummy took a deep breath and went on to explain about the Hadlians. The Hadlians lived on a small world that was under attack from a hostile group of Rookars that meant to attack their sister planet. Penny’s mum and dad helped resolve the misunderstanding and got the Rookars to sign a peace treaty with both the Hadlians and the Jentibani, the inhabitants of the sister planet. They had also contacted the Shadow Proclamation, which put the Rookars on notice that if they tried any more violence they’d face serious consequences.

Unfortunately, as they were leaving to get back to Penny on the TARDIS, a Rookar general, who was hell-bent on continuing his campaign of violence throughout the galaxy, shot Daddy in the back with stolen Dalek technology. Penny knew that anything Dalek was efficient and 100% lethal.

“I could feel how scared you were, Mummy,” she said, tapping her own temple to indicate their telepathic bond. “And then I was in the console room. The TARDIS must have activated her internal Emergency Spatial Shift mechanism. And then you were here with Daddy, and I couldn’t feel him in my head and…” She couldn’t take it anymore. She broke down in her mother’s arms. "Why couldn't he have ignored that call from the Hadlians?” she sobbed. “Just this once, for me?”

Mummy hugged her tight. "Penny, he loves you more than anything. We both do. But part of that is being brave enough to set a good example for you. When people need help, we do our best to help them, right?" Penny nodded.

"And ignoring a cry for help because we are afraid one time might turn into two times or ten times or a hundred times," she continued. "It's a slippery slope, and your daddy is brave enough not to go down it. Still, if you asked him, he would. He would do anything for his Lucky Penny. And even though it's tempting, I think you are too kind to ask for such a thing. And I know you have enough love in your heart to help as many people as you can. Just like your daddy."

"It's just scary sometimes," Penny whispered as she calmed down.

"I know it is, darling," her mother said. "But you, Penny, are the bravest girl I have ever met."

"You're the bravest girl I ever met, Mummy," she replied. Mummy kissed her head and began to rock her like when Penny was really little. Penny could feel her love and gratefulness through their bond and exhaled, letting some of the pain and confusion out with her breath as she let her mother’s love take its place.

***

His telepathic sensors weren’t fully back online yet, but the Doctor was pretty sure he could feel Rose approaching. He was anxious to see her again; after she’d gotten him safely in bed to recover from the physical trauma of regeneration, she’d gone after their daughter and it had been a few hours now.

While his physical trauma might have been healing, the emotional trauma of this entire thing was raw enough that he knew it would take quite a while to fully recover from it. And not just for him, but for his family, too. He searched his mind, trying to tap into his bond with his daughter. It was hard to pick up on due to his current condition, but he could sense her enough to know she’d put up a barrier in her mind. The regeneration obviously had to be traumatic for her, and he tried to remember that, but oh, did her rejection hurt. The only thing worse would be if Rose were rejecting him right now. But judging by the soothing warmth she was projecting (he was definitely sure she was close now), it seemed that wasn’t happening. Thank Rassilon.

“Two Disney movies and four quantum mechanics videos on YouTube and she’s finally asleep,” Rose said as she slipped into the room. He saw her appraising look as she lay next to him on the bed. She hadn’t had much time to really look at him in this new form, and he actually hadn’t seen himself at all yet. Right now, he probably looked like he felt: exhausted and ill. But mostly, he was just sad and scared. Everything was going to be a little bit different, not just his physical appearance. Rose seemed to accept him, but he knew this couldn’t be easy for her. And what if Penny never got over it? What if she stopped loving him altogether?

“Stop your broodin’,” Rose said as she stroked his slightly sweaty hair away from his forehead. “Penny will come ‘round. She’s just scared, is all.” Rose kissed his forehead, then pulled her head back a little to really look at him. “And as for me, you’re stuck with me forever, I’m afraid. I’m just relieved you were able to regenerate before…” Her voice broke as she remembered how close he’d come to dying. The Doctor took her hand and gently ran his thumb over the back of it, then leaned up and kissed her sweetly. To his surprise, Rose deepened it into a full-on snog, which was lovely, but he really was tired and pulled back.

“Sorry, you should rest,” Rose said. “But this new body _is_ rather fit.” She smiled brightly. “I was sorta worried you might come out lookin’ like Prince Charles or somethin’. Mind, I’d still love you, but this certainly makes it easier. You’ve got really great hair,” she finished with a wink as she carded her fingers through his thick locks.

The Doctor smiled, appreciating the relief that came with her playful tone. “About that, actually. I have an important question for you, Rose. Very important. Am. I. Ginger?”

She laughed. “No, you’re just sort of…brown.”

He gave her an exaggerated pout, but then his face turned serious. “I don’t really care how I look. I just want to be yours. And I want to be Penny’s dad. I want her to know it’s me.” He knew his voice sounded desperate, pathetic even, but he didn’t care. He had scared his little girl and felt like a monster for putting her through the trauma of witnessing his regeneration. He genuinely worried that their relationship had been irrevocably damaged.

“She didn’t like seein’ you hurt and the change is jarring, but _never_ doubt how much that little girl loves you. How much we both do,” Rose told him. “Penny needs a little space for a mo’, and then she’ll be fine.” She said this with such conviction that the Doctor felt somewhat reassured. He still wanted to actually see Penny, to talk to her, to hug her tight. But right now, he would just have to trust Rose’s words. Plus, his wife hadn’t stopped her ministrations on his hair and scalp, and he was getting quite sleepy again. _Sleep now, my love_ , he heard in his mind as his eyes fluttered shut, and moments later he was dreaming…

***

_Penny and the Doctor are on Kiveria Prime on one of their very favorite family holidays. Rose has gone to the spa with a Kiverian she’d become fast friends with yesterday, leaving them to have some daddy/daughter time. They swim in the emerald green ocean for a little while, laughing amongst the bioluminescent fish. As the Doctor floats on his back, Penny jokes that he should be careful or the fish might nip at his big ol’ ears. He dunks her for that, which leads to a joyful water fight. After a while, the Doctor notices her lips turning blue, despite her insistence that she isn’t cold._

_“Superior biology, Dad! Just like you!”_

_“Yes, love, but you’re still seven years old. That temperature regulation system isn’t fully developed yet.”_

_Penny rolls her eyes, but gets out of the water and accepts a fluffy towel from her dad without further complaint…_

_…All of a sudden, they are lounging on the balcony of their gorgeous resort suite. Penny is curled up on the Doctor’s lap, snuggling into his leather jacket and breathing in the familiar scent. The time jump seems a bit odd, but they quickly forget about it and the Doctor reads her some Harry Potter, their nineteenth time through the series. After a while they move on to some recreational maths. Rose returns after that and they share a delicious dinner of Kiverian mussels, a local delicacy. Penny delights in the odd, rubbery texture and salty taste, and so does the Doctor…_

_…The next thing they know, they have suddenly jumped in time again, and the Doctor is tucking Penny in the big, cushy bed in her very own room of their suite. They ignore the feeling that something is off about this day, despite how wonderful it has been. The Doctor reads Penny a bit more Harry Potter as she drifts off to sleep. All is well…_

_…Until an instant later, when a blinding white light explodes around them with a terrifying roar. Penny and the Doctor see each other floating nearby, each clamoring to get out of this strange blank space, trying desperately to grab hands and escape together. Instead, father and daughter both watch in horror as the other one gets sucked backwards and disappears..._

_…And then they are back in the dazzling green water. They’re under the salty waves and their eyes are closed, but they can, as always, sense each other. They both come up for air at the same time and the happy feelings evaporate as Penny’s eyes widen in fright. The Doctor notices, and this, along with the odd feeling in his body, signals that something has changed. His hands move to his head and he feels thick hair. He looks down at his stomach to find it toned as usual but quite skinnier than it’s supposed to be. Oh no. He has regenerated…_

_…Yet somehow, a sudden peace washes over them both. The bond in their mind hasn’t changed, and they use it to comfort one another, to get over the shock. Moments later, they are frolicking in the surf again, like nothing ever happened. And all the same scenes, from this same day, replay, the only difference being the Doctor’s new physical form. All is well once again._

***

Penny gasped as she woke with a start. The dream had been so intense, and that middle bit with the bright light and the floating away had been pretty frightening, but overall it was quite lovely. Both times. It didn’t matter which face Daddy had, it was definitely him who was with her on that perfect day, in real life and in her dream. She could’ve had the dream ten more times, each with Daddy having a different face, and it would still be him. She felt it with her very soul. And she could feel him in her head again, too. In fact, she knew without looking that he was standing in the door to her bedroom.

“You had the dream, too,” she said, still looking straight ahead.

“Yes,” he replied, and walked cautiously to her bed. As he sat down on the end, he positioned himself so he was facing her, but on an angle. He was trying to be nonthreatening. She shot a quick glance at his face and found it was still weird to see him look like this in real life. He sighed. She could tell he wanted to look at her, but sensing her reticence, he didn’t.

“I’m sorry, Penny. I’m so sorry to put you through this.” His voice was quiet again, like it was in the console room right after he regenerated.

She didn’t know what to say. Too many emotions, too many thoughts were swirling through her head, stealing her voice. Two minutes, five seconds, and twenty-two nanoseconds passed before she felt him get up again, his shuffling footsteps the only sound as he made to leave. His sadness was so palpable that it was giving her a headache. No, wait. It wasn’t _his_ sadness. It was _theirs_. They were both yearning for their relationship to be back on track, to go forward past this pain. After all, she was his Lucky Penny, and he was her amazing dad. _Did his new face really change that?_ Watching him, feeling him in her mind, she knew the answer.

He was almost to the door now, and Penny realized she had a choice to make. A very, very important choice. She could let him go, or…

“Daddy, wait.”

Her father wheeled around, looking at Penny with open-mouthed surprise. She could feel him trying to calm down the excitement he was projecting over their bond, so as not to get his hopes up too much or scare her off. She sent back her slightly tentative acceptance (it was still a lot to get used to, after all), but also let him see her unending love for her dad, something that didn’t change with faces.

“I was thinking maybe we could start Harry Potter again.”

“I’d like that very much, Penny,” he said, not even bothering to hide the tears in his voice this time.

She got the well-loved copy of the first book out of her nightstand and handed it to him wordlessly as he sat down on her bed again.

“Chapter One. The Boy Who Lived.”

Penny listened to his new voice as it began the tale of a magical boy who helped people and faced danger and was very brave indeed.


End file.
